she said it back but she still wasn't sure.
the words just     s
                                   p
                                        i
                                             l
                                                  l
           ­                                            e
                                                            d  ­   from her lips
as they had only two times before
to others with the same questioning mouths
and nervous eyes.

because she could never navigate
the fracture of a silence
and somehow,
it made more sense for gravity
to take control
than her heart.